The Egotistical Cobra Kirtani

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

One time as Sant Baba Nand Singh Ji was sat in the congregation a big cobra entered the diwan hall. All the sangat who saw this snake got scared and some sevadaars even began to draw their kirpans to kill the cobra.

Sant Baba Nand Singh Ji saw what was happening and told the sangat, ‘Do not kill the snake, it has completed it’s life and is preparing to leave this world. Let the snake come and be blessed with the sight of that Guru of this world and the next.’

The sangat who had gathered at the diwan hall immediately made way for the cobra. As the cobra approached Satguru Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj it raised it’s hood and began to hiss. Sant Baba Nand Singh Ji then did an ardas on behalf of the cobra. At the conclusion of the ardas the snake left the diwan hall and went back into the fields from which it had come.

The sangat were curious as to what had happened and thus asked Baba Ji to enlighten them. Baba Ji said, ‘The cobra you have all seen today used to be a kirtani. The kirtani had an amazing voice and many people would request/pay him to come to their programmes. Unfortunately this kirtani built up a lot of ego as maya took control of his mind. However because of the kirtan he did he only had to pass through a few life forms before Guru Sahib blessed him with a human life once again. The kirtani knows this life form is his last one and decided to come and ask the sangat and Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj for their blessings so that when he takes birth as a human once again he may remain free from the five vices which have torn him away from his Guru.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

How to escape from the fire of the deadly sins which are consuming the world

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Bhai Kidaru Ji one day saw Satguru Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji Maharaj walking. Bhai Kidaru Ji who had not had the darshan of his beloved guru for a long time, started to cry and ran towards his Guru. He bowed before his king and asked Satguru Ji, how he should escape from the fire of the deadly sins which were consuming the world.

Satguru Ji replied, 'Bhai Kidaru, as when a forest catches fire and everything in the path of the fire, is being burnt and destoryed, the deer flee and run towards the nearest lake to cool themselves and seek protection from the lake that the fire may not hurt them. O Bhai Kidaru, In the same way, man should flee the deadly sins and take refuge in the cooling water of Satguru Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj's instruction'.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Killing the Five Evils: Overcoming Lust (Kaam) Part 1

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

People often say that the most detrimental of all mistakes a Sikh could make is to get involved in a relationship with the opposite sex. This doesn't necessarily mean being physically involved, but even something as "harmless" as developing feelings for another person outside of marriage can cost you everything. It seems almost impossible to recover after such a mistake. Even months and months later, there seems to be no escape in sight from all the damage it causes on a spiritual level.

There was once a young Singh, perhaps in his early 20's, who used to do sevaa in Punj Pyaaray with Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh Jee. What a high avastha that youth must have had to do sevaa amongst such chardi kalaa Gursikhs. Bhai Sahib used to warn this youth to limit his interactions and communications with the opposite sex. He was warned to be careful and to talk to bibiaan less.

However, this youth, like many of us, probably gave himself a lot of credit. He probably doubted that he could fall prey to the enticement of maya and doubted he would be tempted by kaam.

But, lo and behold, he fell. And very badly, too. He committed such a grave mistake that warranted presenting himself before the Punj Pyaaray to seek forgiveness.

He traveled to a Smaagam to get peshed, but the Punj Pyaaray there told him to return to his hometown and get peshed there in a local Amrit Sinchaar. This youth however was extremely ashamed of his mistake and had too much pride to present himself before his local Sangat. So, instead of getting peshed and trying to continue on with his Sikhi, this Singh disappeared altogether and no one ever saw or heard from him again. Some say that he committed suicide since he was never seen again.

Drastic measures? I think not. It just shows how grave the mistake can be and just how detrimental it is, often to the point of no return.This youth didn't heed Bhai Sahib's advice to steer clear of being close with the opposite gender, so who would heed my advice now? All I can say is that the stakes are very high and if a Singh of such a high spiritual avastha can fall, what makes us think we can't? I see so many youth today who are clearly emotionally attached and involved with one another in the form of a "crush" if not more. They think they are safe and their relationships are acceptable and they won't cross the line by falling prey to kaam.

But I say you've already fallen once you've developed feelings of this nature for a member of the opposite sex. And I tell you, it could happen to anyone, so it's best to be vigilant. We are all like wax that will easily melt when placed in the vicinity of fire. We're better off keeping a distance from the flame because after melting, there's no going back. Try as you might, sometimes it seems that the damage is irreparable.

I'm not sure who wrote this but it echos most of the things I wanted to say. I will post some of my own thoughts on this next time, along with an amazing sakhi about Dhan Dhan Satguru Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji Maharaj which relates to this vice.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Killing the Five Evils: Overcoming Anger (Krodh)

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

sloku ]salok
Salok:

kwm k®oD Aru loB moh ibnis jwie AhMmyv ]kaam krodhh ar lobh moh binas jaae aha(n)maevSexual desire, anger, greed and emotional attachment - may these be gone, and egotism as well.

nwnk pRB srxwgqI kir pRswdu gurdyv ]1]naanak prabh saranaagathee kar prasaadh guradhaev 1Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of God; please bless me with Your Grace, O Divine Guru. 1

Anger

Satguru Sri Guru Tegh Bahadhur Ji Maharaj, the king of kings, the saint of saints and the blanket of the world said to his sikhs, 'In anger man commits evil deeds. He loses at once his senses, and his religion. When anger springs up in a man's heart, what crime is there he will not perpetrate?'

He thinks nothing of sinning against his parents and his holy Guru. He takes the life which he ought to protect, and utters nothing but harsh language. He will not refrain from any act even though he sacrifices his life in its execution. There is no greater sacrifice than life, and yet the foolish person will deliberately make it. The angry man's soul burns if he does not obtain his desires. He cannot eat or sleep. Day and night he is tortured by his passion, and forms endless plans for its gratification. In this way he passes his time in misery.

Forgiveness

'To exercise forgiveness is a great act. To exer­cise forgiveness is to give alms. Forgiveness is equal to ablutions at all places of pilgrimage. For­giveness ensures man's salvation. There is no virtue equal to forgiveness.'

'Whenever you get the chance generously exercise it. Never abandon this virtue, but ever preserve it in your hearts. You are ordered in the Granth Sahib (Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj) to lay up the wealth of the Name, so that it may accompany you in this world and in the next.'

'This wealth is only found in the companion­ship of good men, and cannot be obtained by any other means. My followers possess this wealth which is superior to all jewels and gems. The saints hoard it day and night.'

'It cannot be purchased, no thief can steal, no fire consume, no water drown it, whereas worldly wealth is generally accumulated by sin. Thieves can steal it, pickpockets purloin it, kings seize it, fire burn it, and earth rot it. At the hour of death this sinful wealth only causes regret, and, through man's desires being fixed on it his soul falls into terrible hell.'

I will post a sakhi relating to this next time.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Killing the Five Evils: Overcoming Attachment (Moh)

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

sloku ]
salok
Salok:

kwm k®oD Aru loB moh ibnis jwie AhMmyv ]
kaam krodhh ar lobh moh binas jaae aha(n)maev
Sexual desire, anger, greed and emotional attachment - may these be gone, and egotism as well.

nwnk pRB srxwgqI kir pRswdu gurdyv ]1]
naanak prabh saranaagathee kar prasaadh guradhaev 1
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of God; please bless me with Your Grace, O Divine Guru. 1

A Sikh once came into the darbar of Satguru Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj asked this question, "O True Emperor, holy men have risen above worldly attachment. By what thought are they aided? Attachment is a very chronic ailment of mankind. By what method have they risen above this? Please, be kind and explain it to us."

"I will tell you the way the saints have conquered attachment to the world. They regard the material possessions as a dream. Just as what you see in a dream, does not exist when you wake up, in the same way saints have woken up to the real knowledge (gyan). All objects of the world appear to be transient to them," explained Maharaj.

Satguru Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji then began to tell a story, "There was a saint, who had attained a high spiritual stage. Living in the midst of the world, he remained above its pleasures and sorrows. Someone came and informed him that his son had died. The saint did not express any grief at the news. The people talked about the son thus, 'Sant ji, your son was very handsome and young. He was also very learned. At his death all others expressed their shock. But you have not mourned his death. What considerations have influenced your mind?'

"During the night I saw a dream in which I was a king. I married and got a son. But when I woke up, there was neither kingdom, nor wife and son. On waking from this dream, I heard the news that my son of the world of consciousness had died. Then I went to my Gurdev and told him of my miserable plight. 'Swami ji,' I said, 'not only has my dream world disappeared, but my real son also is no more. What should I do now? I am overwhelmed with grief.'

"Give up mourning over both, for the whole universe is an illusion, the dream world and the conscious world. What is an illusion, does not deserve mourning over. Illusion means that in fact nothing was created, or exists. Uncreated objects enter our vision, in dreams or in the conscious world. Therefore, stop mourning over both,' explained my Gumdev to me, and the reality clearly dawned in my mind. For this reason, I am not affected by sorrows or pleasures of the world.' This is the way saints have risen above worldly attachments," concluded the Satguru Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj, the king of kings and the saint of saints.

sloku ]
salok
Salok:

kwm k®oD Aru loB moh ibnis jwie AhMmyv ]
kaam krodhh ar lobh moh binas jaae aha(n)maev
Sexual desire, anger, greed and emotional attachment - may these be gone, and egotism as well.

nwnk pRB srxwgqI kir pRswdu gurdyv ]1]
naanak prabh saranaagathee kar prasaadh guradhaev 1
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of God; please bless me with Your Grace, O Divine Guru. 1

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

How to attain unity with Waheguru

WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA WAHEGURU JI KI FATEH

One day gursikhs called Bhai Bhagvaan Daas, Bhai Bodla Malik, Pirthee Mal, Dalloo Bhagat, Shyaam Daas and Sunder came to the darbar of Guru Hargobind Sahib. They did matha tek to Guru Sahib and pleaded before Guru Sahib to show them the way to swim across this terrible ocean i.e. unity with Vaheguru.It is written in the Sikh history that Guru Sahib gave them the following lessons to attain unity with Vaheguru:

1) Make a dharamshaala (Gurdwara) in your town.

2) Get up at amritvela and assemble at the Dharamshaala.

3) Do Naam abhyaas during amritvela.

4) After Naam abhyaas recite Gurbani.

5) Then spend some time to discuss and interpret the meanings of Gurbani.

6) Perform ardaas at the end of the diwaan.

7) During the day earn your living through honest means.

8) Never subscribe to dishonesty and fraud.

9) During the evening time assemble at the Dharamshaala.

10) Recite Rehraas Sahib and do kirtan.

11) After ardaas return to your homes and sleep after doing Sohila.

12) Help out poor Sikhs who need help.

13) Celebrate Gurpurabs.

14) Keep your mind humble and kill your ego.

The Sikhs who had done benti obeyed the hukams of Guru Sahib and this is how they swam across this terrible ocean of life and death.

WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA WAHEGURU JI KI FATEH

Kaljug

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh


Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

The True Name

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Satguru Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj was asked why the words Satnam--the True Name--were always written as an introduction to his hymns.

He replied, 'The Name is the God of all gods. Some propitiate Durga, some Shiv, some Ganesh, and some other gods; but the Guru's Sikhs worship the True Name and thus remove all obstacles to salvation. Accordingly, the prefatory words, the True Name, are written in all compositions. '

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

How can the cycle of births and deaths be broken?

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Two Sikhs, called Bhai Bhagta Ji and Bhai Ohri Ji, asked Satguru Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj how rest was to be obtained, and transmigration avoided.

Guru Sahib replied as follows:
'You shall find rest by avoiding manmukh karm (perverse acts).'

Being asked to define manmukh karm more particularly, Guru Ji replied: 'It is to be heartily envious of every one, to desire that worldly wealth and all happiness should forsake others and come to oneself, to suffer great pain as one beholds the houses and property of others, to believe all men one's enemies, and do good to no one. Expel all this evil from your hearts.

In the second place, the perverse man is proud and relentless to every one. When he sees such and such a person inferior to himself, he never advises him; no, he laughs at him, and treats him with contempt, saying, "He is not equal to my lofty intellect."

In the third place, the perverse man is addicted to slander; but do you renounce it and never utter it. If any one praise another who is superior to him, he cannot endure it, no he becomes wroth, saying, "O! I am well acquainted with him." In this way he utters slander. How can he who is proud of his efforts and envious of others ever possess excellence?

In the fourth place, if the perverse man receives advice, he will not act on it through obstinacy; no, he will perversely do the very reverse. These vices--envy, pride, slander, and obstinacy--belong to the perverse. Relinquish them, acting as trees do when they drop their leaves in autumn.'

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh